Volunteer Blog
Living life to the full… Communities 1st helps me do just that
Patricia’s Path to Positivity with Communities 1st
Patricia*, originally from the north-east and now in her early seventies, has been using Communities 1st services for some nine years. I was looking forward to chatting with her and learning about her experience. I was richly rewarded. Patricia* is a warm, friendly woman, with a strong sense of Geordie humour. I soon realised that she is also strong-minded and will speak her mind!
"This is a new experience which I had never thought I would do!"
Strengthening communities through building connections
Communities 1st "Leap into Action!"
Communities 1st is a great antidote to the view that “there is no such thing as society”!
“It’s fantastic what Communities 1st is doing,” Mike told me when I eventually tracked him down and he told me about his experience as a volunteer. “You provide a wide range of valuable services to support the community,” he continued. “There are many people who are vulnerable and in need of help. I am pleased to do my bit to help.”
"Communities 1st is a big part of their lives, and I am pleased to be part of that too."
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Liz has a great sense of humour! I’m often struck while talking to volunteers that they have a huge sense of fun; we laugh a lot! Liz is no exception. One of the reasons she volunteers is because she enjoys helping bring a smile to people’s faces. This isn’t to say that she doesn’t take her volunteering seriously, far from it, but rather she recognises the great benefits of having a laugh. Indeed, there is a growing body of scientific research which points to the many health benefits, physical and emotional, of laughter.